Sunday, June 10, 2007

Yeah..........No!

I was driving back from dropping my daughter off at her dad's yesterday and trying to think of a good blog post. I thought about how I spent the first 35 years of my life perfecting the art of saying ,"No!" Although it was my first word, I think it took me 35 years to get really good at it. Lately, I've become aware of all the doors I have been closing by saying No all the time. While it has gotten me out of some sticky situation and unrewarding work, I think it has kept me from enjoying myself a bit.Lately, I have been saying, "Yes!" It has been quite liberating. I said yes several times to my daughter's requests to ride her bike outside last week. I said yes when she wanted to invite her friends to dinner, as I was setting it on the table. I said yes to rearranging the family room furniture, and I love it! I said yes to going out a few times and was glad to get out of the house.As I drove home, yesterday, I thought about all the times I had said yes lately and had a positive outcome. Maybe it isn't so bad after all. Maybe I don't have to be in control all the time. When I walked in the door, my husband told me he was probably going to a friend's to play cards (World of Warcraft) that night. He told me I should come along and hang out with his friend's wife and baby. I immediately said, "No!"